THE AUSTRALIAN REFUGEE RIGHTS ALLIANCE (ARRA)
The Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) is known as EXCOM. In late September each year EXCOM meets in Geneva
to fulfil its role as advisor to UNHCR. The meeting is attended by
government representatives who are the official delegates, and by accredited
members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who are observers. In the
week before EXCOM, a meeting called Pre-EXCOM brings together NGO
representatives to discuss protection and operation issues and specific
regional topics. The conclusions of EXCOM express international consensus on
standards and guidelines for protection of refugees.
In previous years, the Refugee Council of Australia, Australian Council for
Overseas Aid and several other groups have represented NGOs at these
meetings. This year, with refugee and asylum seeker issues becoming of
increasing concern in out country and in our communities, representatives of
a wider range of NGOs have come together as the Australian Refugee Rights
Alliance to also attend these meetings. The overall aim of the alliance is
to work together to present a strong cohesive and well-documented position
on some key issues specific to Australia and Asia/Pacific region.
Our aims in going to Geneva are to lobby Governments at an international
level to address key issues including:
a.. An end mandatory immigration detention.
a.. Provision of specialist care for children, families and individuals
who have been mentally and physically harmed by their refugee experience, in
particular trauma caused by detention in a country of asylum.
a.. An end to the vilification and penalisation of asylum seekers who have
crossed borders.
a.. The strengthening of protection for refugee women and children during
flight, in camps and in detention.
ARRA's position on a number of key issues of international concern is
supported by thoroughly researched background papers prepared by Searching
for Solutions (SFS), a joint initiative of Centre for Refugee Research and
Australian Human Rights Centre at UNSW.
Organisations working in the refugee field across Australia are invited to
support ARRA in Geneva by formally " signing off" on the position papers. A
summary of the ARRA position with sign off sheet is attached. Individual
summaries of background papers will be available on www.crr.unsw.edu.au from
21 August and full papers from 26 August.
On Monday 2 September from 6.00pm - 8.00pm a public briefing will be held at
NSW Parliament House Theatrette, Macquarie Street Sydney. Speakers will
include Dr Eileen Pittaway, Director of Centre for Refugee Research and
Jacqui Everitt, Refugee advocate, representing ARRA.
Contact details: Australian Refugee Rights Alliance
Email: [log in to unmask]
Fax 02 9764 1743
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